What are they thinking?

December 5, 2012 - Blaine Hyska

Have you ever wondered what others are thinking?

Thanks to Rasmussen Reports of Asbury Park, N.J., we get a glimpse of how Americans feel on some of the hot topics of the day. Rasmussen Reports provides independent public opinion surveys in the areas of politics, business and lifestyle.

For example:

In a survey of 1,000 American adults, 39 percent say government should do nothing for long-term unemployed. They think that if people can’t find work for an extended period of time, the government should do nothing at all to help them. Eight percent feel their unemployment benefits should be extended indefinitely, while 32 percent believe the government should pay for their retraining, and another 12 percent think the government should hired the long-term unemployed.

Forty-seven percent continue to believe that it would be bad for the economy if the government hires more people, while 33 percent think more government hiring would be good for the country, and 12 percent say it would have no impact either way. By the way, 76 percent still know someone who is out of a job and looking for work.

Continuing on the economy, in a survey of 1,500 American adults, just 25 percent say their personal finances are getting better. In the survey, 42 percent think they're getting worse.

Speaking of personal finances, in a survey of 1,000 U.S. likely voters, 52 percent say they would vote for a candidate who promises to raise taxes only on the rich rather than one who promises to oppose all tax increases, but 34 percent would rather vote for a candidate who opposes all tax increases, and 14 percent more are not sure.

On tax increases 33 percent of all voters think tax increases help the economy — the highest level of support ever measured on this question, while 40 percent think raising taxes hurts economic conditions in the country, 14 percent say they have no impact, and 13 percent are not sure.

In the presidential tracking poll, 31 percent of 1,500 U.S. likely voters strongly approve of the job President Obama’s doing while 32 percent strongly disapprove of his performance.

Finally, on ObamaCare, 46 percent 1,000 U.S. likely voters feel that if providing no-cost contraceptives for women violates the deeply held beliefs of a church, religious organization or business owner, they should be allowed to opt out of providing coverage for contraceptives. Forty-one percent disagree and oppose anyone being allowed to opt out for religious reasons, and 12 percent are undecided.